Valve recently announced a new version of the Steam Deck with an OLED screen, but in addition to better hardware, the company is also concerned about its operating system, SteamOS, considered by many to be one of the device’s strongest points.
System update 3.5.5 was released this week, bringing a wide variety of improvements that promise to elevate the gaming experience on the laptop.
Check out all the update details below:
Display Improvements: A notable improvement in SteamOS 3.5.5 is the adjustment of the default color rendering for the Steam Deck LCD. sRGB color gamut emulation now provides a slightly warmer and more vibrant color appearance, improving visual experiences. Users can adjust screen colors with the new Settings -> Adjust Screen Colors feature, allowing customization of vibrancy and color temperature.
For those who want high dynamic range images, the Steam Deck now supports HDR for external displays, with additional HDR analysis available in advanced display settings. Variable refresh rate (VRR) is also on the menu, provided your USB-C adapter supports it.
General Updates: The Steam Deck OLED has received official support with the SteamOS 3.5.5 update. Additionally, the update addresses a CPU performance issue for specific workloads, ensuring a smoother gaming experience. External storage devices now automatically mount when connected, simplifying the user experience.
Graphics drivers have been updated, bringing performance improvements and fixes for specific games like Starfield. Bluetooth connection stability has been improved, along with faster sleep resumption speeds. The ability to switch between controller and mouse/keyboard bindings by long-pressing Options adds a convenient touch to the Linux hid-steam driver.
Firmware Enhancements: Firmware 118 introduces voltage compensation settings, giving you more control over the performance of your Steam Deck. Steam Deck Dock Firmware 121 follows suit, introducing variable refresh rate (VRR) support and improving reliability when changing display modes via on-screen menus.
Updated Arch Linux Base: In addition to these device-specific updates, SteamOS 3.5.5 incorporates an updated Arch Linux base. This brings new performance, security, and stability fixes to the underlying packages that support SteamOS. Highlights include a new window tile system and improved Discover (app store/software manager) with improved search functionality.
